Alamo Car Rental Question?

[Elizhodge13]

I got what I consider a great rate from Costco Travel for a 1 week rental through Alamo. When booking, it asked for our pick-up and drop-off time. I have since changed our flights but don't want to have to cancel the rental to update the times because I don't want to lose the rate (they are much higher now). I plan on doing the Alamo online check in which also asks for flight number. Will that be enough info for them on when my arrival is even though I put something 7 hours later when I booked? Should I call Alamo to update that info and if I do that, will that keep my rate? or just go with the online check in and hope they have a car for me? Thanks!

 

[nacho113]

I got what I consider a great rate from Costco Travel for a 1 week rental through Alamo. When booking, it asked for our pick-up and drop-off time. I have since changed our flights but don't want to have to cancel the rental to update the times because I don't want to lose the rate (they are much higher now). I plan on doing the Alamo online check in which also asks for flight number. Will that be enough info for them on when my arrival is even though I put something 7 hours later when I booked? Should I call Alamo to update that info and if I do that, will that keep my rate? or just go with the online check in and hope they have a car for me? Thanks!

I think I would call in and see if they can change your times without affecting your rate.

Not sure if you are saying you will be 7 hours early or late but...
I would be afraid if you just leave it and show up 7 hours late, they may have cancelled your reservation as a "no show" and then you will be stuck with the current rate at check-in.
Conversely, if you show up 7 hours early, chances are that you are going to incur an extra day or even whole new rate for the week.

 

[Elizhodge13]

I think I would call in and see if they can change your times without affecting your rate.

Not sure if you are saying you will be 7 hours early or late but...
I would be afraid if you just leave it and show up 7 hours late, they may have cancelled your reservation as a "no show" and then you will be stuck with the current rate at check-in.
Conversely, if you show up 7 hours early, chances are that you are going to incur an extra day or even whole new rate for the week.

It would be 7 hours earlier than what I had originally put. I didn't even think about being charged for an extra day for getting their earlier. I will go ahead and call. Thanks!

 

[Tinknalli]

Is there a general rule for how early you can be with Alamo without changing your rate. For example my flight now arrives at 5:16 pm and my pick-up time is 6:00 pm. We will not have checked luggage, so guessing with a restroom stop etc we may be 20-30 minutes early. Any foreseeable issues with this? Should we take our time getting there to be as close to 6:00 as possible?

 

[Elizhodge13]

Is there a general rule for how early you can be with Alamo without changing your rate. For example my flight now arrives at 5:16 pm and my pick-up time is 6:00 pm. We will not have checked luggage, so guessing with a restroom stop etc we may be 20-30 minutes early. Any foreseeable issues with this? Should we take our time getting there to be as close to 6:00 as possible?

I imagine it's probably an hour window. But I think it would be better to be earlier than later so they don't give your car away.

 

[bumbershoot]

Alamo VERY VERY specifically told me in January that they hold your car for 24 hours.

We picked up a few hours late, and it was NO issue.

 

[Elizhodge13]

Alamo VERY VERY specifically told me in January that they hold your car for 24 hours.

We picked up a few hours late, and it was NO issue.

That is very good to know.

 

[NotUrsula]

They do normally hold for quite a while, that isn't usually an issue, especially if you put the real flight number in the reservation.

However, there are many leisure rates that require pickup after certain time thresholds or certain days of the week. For example, special rental rates that begin on a Thursday almost always require that the vehicle NOT be picked up until after Noon. You can load up the car at 11:50 and not go through the gate until 12:01 and you're golden, but roll it out of the garage too soon and you'll lose the rate if that is one of the rate conditions.

ALWAYS pay attention to the fine print if your arrival OR departure is earlier than originally planned. Later is seldom a problem unless your Saturday outbound flight is delayed until Sunday. (Most leisure rates only are valid if you keep the car over Saturday night.)

 

[nacho113]

It would be 7 hours earlier than what I had originally put. I didn't even think about being charged for an extra day for getting their earlier. I will go ahead and call. Thanks!

The rates are charged out on a 24 hour "day" so if you originally had a pick up time of say 7pm on Saturday and a return time of 7 pm the following Saturday, you are going to be charged for the week (7 full 24 hour days).
In your case, if you now pick up the car at noon but still return at 7pm, you have now increased the rental by several hours and will be charged an extra day.
OR worst case scenario (and you haven't changed arrival time with Alamo), you could be charged the walk up rate, for your now, 8 day rental.

For piece of mind, I'd definitely call in and see if it can be changed for free or at minimal charge.
If your reservation has been stretched to an extra day by your new arrival time, expect an increase for the extra day.

 

[rlduvall]

I recently had a reservation under my Alamo Insider membership for 05/27 - 06/06 with a rate of $180. for a fullsize vehicle. We added 2 days to the trip and when I did a brand new reservation it was over $400. due to rates having gone up. BUT, when I went in and just 'modified' my existing reservation adding those 2 days it only went up about $40. Have you tried that?